On Friday evening of Annual Conference, you will have several options to choose from to learn and develop skills through our Cherishing Workshops! Read on to learn more, and check your participant guide for locations.
All workshops will be held on Friday, June 13 at 7 pm. Workshops will be offered in-person only and will not be recorded or live-streamed.
Cherishing Workshops Options:
Social Media Made Simple: Empowering Local Churches with Limited Time and Resources | led by Patty DelliBovi, Team Lead Marketing for United Methodist Communications
Held in Valencia V & VI
Are you a pastor, volunteer, or church leader juggling ministry and more? This practical, hope-filled workshop is designed just for you. Learn how your church—no matter the size or staffing—can confidently and consistently show up on social media. Walk away with real-world tips and ready-to-use tools, tailored for busy United Methodist congregations with limited time, help, or budget.
You’ll Receive:
- An editable social media calendar
- Copy-and-paste weekly post examples
- A simple post-scheduling guide
- Easy, meaningful post ideas
Let’s make sharing your church’s story online simple and spirit-led.
Navigating the Current Immigration Landscape | led by Monalisa Tu’itahi, Attorney and Interim Immigration Coordinator
Held in Valencia III & IV
Join the Justice and Compassion Essential Ministry Team for a time of communal learning and briefing on current immigration policies and issues. Interim Immigration Ministries Coordinator Monalisa Tu’itahi will share an overview of the latest executive orders, court rulings and ICE enforcement issues, as well as provide a faith-full framework for navigating the challenges of the current immigration landscape.
Global Ministries (GBGM): Mission in the 21st Century | led by Rev. Dr. Judy Chung, Executive Director of Missionary Service for General Board of Global Ministries
Held in Esmeralda 6-8
Take a journey around the world to meet United Methodist missionaries!
In this workshop, you will:
- Learn about the stories of the “first” Methodist Missionaries
- Learn about the stories of the 21st century United Methodist Missionaries
- Learn about the ways God is using these missionaries to transform the world
- Learn how you can be a part of God’s mission too
Choosing the Faithful Path: From Where You Are | led by Rev. Ken Suhr, Director of Congregational Vitality
Held in Valencia II
Healthy Churches and Faithful Paths | How is it with the soul of your church? What are the vital signs to be mindful of as you initiate a movement toward health and fruitfulness? No matter what size your church may be and whether your church is growing, plateauing, or declining, every church has a faithful next step toward health and vitality. We invite all leaders and stewards of beloved congregations to join us for a time of reflection on 1) the core vital signs of healthy churches, 2) an engaging group study/process of assessing the soul of your congregation, and 3) possible pathways that create movement toward vitality and fruitfulness. In a world of complexities and variables, may your leadership and service be grounded with clarity and faithfulness. And may your congregation be able to say, “It is well with our soul.”
Mission in Reverse: Snapshots and Possibilities from My Recent Trip to Nigeria | led by Rev. Richard Bentley
Held in Esmeralda 5
A vital energetic church filled with lots of younger people is emerging in many parts of Africa and the Philippines. My trip to Nigeria at the invitation of its newly elected Bishop Ande Emmanuel offers a snapshot into what’s happening in one part of Africa today. The United Methodist Church has grown from around 10,000 United Methodists in the 1980s to over 1,000,000 today. This happened despite enormous challenges. Some seem very familiar to Cal-Pac situations, such as tremendous cultural diversity and/or feeling invisible to the larger community. Others are far beyond anything I had imagined, such as being targets of massive disinformation campaigns, destructive lawsuits, and physical violence. Yet United Methodists in Nigeria are finding ways to not only survive but thrive.
Mission in Reverse focuses on two-way partnerships that build upon each partner’s different strengths, allowing mission to happen in ways that would be much harder for either to do alone. I’ll use my recent trip to Nigeria to highlight possibilities for United Methodists in Cal-Pac both individually and as churches to share God’s love and make a difference in this world. And, I’ll try to do this from my own context of being in a church with 30 or so in worship.
Pop-up Choir for Conference | led by Eric Lige, leader of the Cherish Band
Held in the Crystal Ballroom
Come and join in the choir that will help us worship on Saturday morning at the 8:30 praise service.
